After pesticides in fruits and vegetables, mercury content in fish and antibiotics in poultry, the next victim is bread. So what is this scare all about? Potassium Bromate/ Iodate is the culprit! This is an oxidising chemical that is commonly added to flour while making bread or products similar to it. The chemical helps the dough to rise, binds the flour and ultimately makes the end product soft. During baking, the chemical turns to Potassium Bromide/Iodide which is not known to be dangerous to health if the levels are as permitted by Government standards. Beyond which, it can potentially cause Cancer. Countries like European Union, China, Canada and Brazil have banned the product and there are substitutes for this chemical.

Be an ‘informed consumer’ and read labels, always check the ingredient list. In Kochi, popular baking and patisserie outlets like Pandhal and Hotbreads have vouched for the fact that they don’t use bromated flour. ‘Eva’s Healthy bakes’, has products made from Whole grains, Fruit pulps and organic ingredients. The store offers healthy wholesome breads that are gluten free, sugar free, vegan apart from diary free cakes and cookies. They also have baking classes once a week for those who are passionate about baking. “Baking is no Rocket Science and I would definitely encourage all my clients to bake their own bread as it is a healthier option”, says Jeemol Koruth Varghese, the star behind the show at Eva’s.